Warning Rant: HP Tuners Disabled 2 of my PCMs

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
So a quick back story. Ordered a stage 2 kit from ZZP which includes injectors, smaller pulley and new re flashed PCM which confirmed by Ryan at ZZP they use HPTuners to flash. 2 weeks later installed the parts and got ECU error indicating I needed a crank relearn so I purchased the MPVI3 with 2 Credits from ZZP since this was the easiest way for me to get this done. After many attempts I was finally able to get the crank relearn done from inside the scanner. After a very quick drive I got a lean LT trim bank1 code so was told to send them a log to initiate a remote tune but first decided I want to increase the injector table a bit to make it a bit richer to be on the safe side before doing the log. So I downloaded the HP Tuners flashed file from the ECU and made the small edits to it. All the while everything connected great, scanner ran fine, I could read ECU information and I could download the map file from the ECU with no issues. After the small changes I made, I made sure I had good voltage on plug in power on laptop and all was good. I then clicked 'Write Calibration'. It did the first few connection checks etc and Erased the map then it got to the write stage, wrote 1% then stuck for a few seconds then I got a 'Writer Transfer: Timed Out' Error. I immediately then tried it again and as soon as it says Requesting Access I get a 'Controller Unlocker : Timed Out' error. Tried it several times, same error.

Engine will no longer start. I had the original ECU the donor engine came with as well there and figured it was probably something wrong with the ECU from ZZP itself maybe so tried it on my original one after of course having to purchase 2 more credits ($100 extra). Same exact issue. I have tried it no less than 150 times in the last couple of days since some people said they eventually got theirs to go through. Every 20 or so times it might get to the write phase but always times out, the farthest I have gotten is 57% but usually times out at 1% or sometimes before even getting to the write phase. I scoured the internet looking for a solution and it seems many persons have had this same problem but I have yet to find a working solution. I have tried....

New battery. Battery with charger attached, 3 Laptops with different windows version installed, 3 cables, all the different ports, 2 different internet connections, one LAN and another WIFI, disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, overnight. Removing every single non critical fuse from the vehicle, cleaning out the pins on the harness and the OBD2 port, resyncing the module several times, downloading the BETA software, making sure nothing else on the vehicle was on (fuses all removed anyway). Checked all the grounds over. Vehicle has no electric issues otherwise. I cannot even start my vehicle and am at my wits end. Of course I reached out to HP Tuners and even though this seems to be a common issue not once is it mentioned in their support tab so I opened a ticket. This was the response I received...

"I've looked over the info and have had a conversation with the engineers and at present this vehicle has been disabled from tuning, the engineers are working quickly to fix the issues at hand but unfortunately I do not have an eta on when this will be supported again I'm sorry." So I asked if they meant my specific vehicle or that model and was told "The issue is with the ECM type there were a couple of other flavors of ECM's that were affected and temporarily disabled them till everything gets fixed."

So I have two separate ECMs that are now bricked and one of them just a few days ago was written by ZZP with the same HP Tuners and Ryan tells me they are still writing to them daily. HP Tuners cannot explain that to me, their response to that..."Not sure how there doing that"

So right now I have a Goblin in my garage, great weather outside and all I can do is turn on the lights and look at it. My only option is to consider all of my upgrades wasted money ($2000 at this stage) including the HP Tuners module and all the credits, remove them and purchase a stock ECU and reinstall until HP Tuners can sort it all out even though there is no indication when or if that will ever actually happen and I am having a hard time believing it to even be the case if ZZP is still writing to them all now and they have no reason to lie to me. To say I am angry and frustrated is an understatement. I asked about at least refunding me my credits and that question has been ignored.

The way I see it if you have listed a car as supported and allow a user to use their credits on said supported ECU only to hear after that oh we aren't currently supporting that ECU then that is as close to fraud in my book as you can get away with and I'm pissed to say the least.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
...and this is part of why I have 2 credits I haven't used yet. Mine connects and logs just fine but I have yet to try and write with it.
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
...and this is part of why I have 2 credits I haven't used yet. Mine connects and logs just fine but I have yet to try and write with it.
I'd recommend you not try at this point, I'm sorry I even bothered to purchase any upgrades. Stupid me expecting a popular product to actually do what it claims or for them to give a crap when they screw over a customer. They promised to get back to me when their engineers fix the issue. Not holding my breath but I will update here if they actually do.
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
I haven’t tried to reprogram my goblin in a year or so, but tried to read a cobalt I just bought that has a zzp tune already in it and it won’t read. weird.
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
I haven’t tried to reprogram my goblin in a year or so, but tried to read a cobalt I just bought that has a zzp tune already in it and it won’t read. weird.
I have a feeling their new VCM suite and V3 module probably are buggy and they are trying to sort it out, that's the only thing I can assume. I find it hard to believe I'm the only one with an LSJ who has tried to write a map cause if all the others have been disabled I would expect to hear others complaining for the same issue.
 

Sluggonaut

Goblin Guru
I see you've tried multiples of the different variables, but how far back can you go on VCM suite versioning?

I may have missed it but I only see mention of trying the beta version - can you run a previous version?
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
I see you've tried multiples of the different variables, but how far back can you go on VCM suite versioning?

I may have missed it but I only see mention of trying the beta version - can you run a previous version?
Yeah I tried rolling back software and I found an older V4 suite but it is not reading the module. I think the MVPI3 can only work with the new V5 suite or the latest firmware update locks it into that. HP Tuners does not offer older firmware to roll back to and couldn't find any.
 

baustin

Well-Known Member
If anyone has successfully used HP Tuners to write to their PCM recently would love to know
Just during August/September I was updating my tune with ZZP sending me remote file updates. I then loaded the tune to the goblin and did a couple data runs, then got an updated tune, repeated multiple times. I have an 06 LSJ and ZZP stage 2 kit. No issues with writing to my goblin at any point. USB cord connected from my laptop to the MPVI2, for all writing my goblin key is in the 'on' position, not 'acc', and my engine was not running. I had also used this setup during initial tuning in the fall of 2020.

Sorry to hear your issues happening but it's not strictly an absolute that HPtuners doesn't work.
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
Just during August/September I was updating my tune with ZZP sending me remote file updates. I then loaded the tune to the goblin and did a couple data runs, then got an updated tune, repeated multiple times. I have an 06 LSJ and ZZP stage 2 kit. No issues with writing to my goblin at any point. USB cord connected from my laptop to the MPVI2, for all writing my goblin key is in the 'on' position, not 'acc', and my engine was not running. I had also used this setup during initial tuning in the fall of 2020.

Sorry to hear your issues happening but it's not strictly an absolute that HPtuners doesn't work.
I’m assuming this is a very recent thing. They aren’t very forthcoming about details. On the one hand I would like to know conclusively that someone out there with an 06 LSJ got hp tuners to write to their ecu. On the other hand I dont want them to experience what I did.
 

Sparvy

Active Member
I’m assuming this is a very recent thing. They aren’t very forthcoming about details. On the one hand I would like to know conclusively that someone out there with an 06 LSJ got hp tuners to write to their ecu. On the other hand I dont want them to experience what I did.
I've got an 06 lsj that I wrote a new rune file to last weekend. I'm running the MPVI 2+ version and not the newest release so that may be your issue if you've got the latest version. I have noticed that sometimes I need to poll my parameters, connect, disconnect from the vehicle a few times before all of the wanted parameters are populated for logging but have never had an issue loading a new tune. Maybe you could find a new old stock or used 2+ version of hp tuners and go that route....if you can manage to return what you have and sort the credits?
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
I've got an 06 lsj that I wrote a new rune file to last weekend. I'm running the MPVI 2+ version and not the newest release so that may be your issue if you've got the latest version. I have noticed that sometimes I need to poll my parameters, connect, disconnect from the vehicle a few times before all of the wanted parameters are populated for logging but have never had an issue loading a new tune. Maybe you could find a new old stock or used 2+ version of hp tuners and go that route....if you can manage to return what you have and sort the credits?
thanks. I figure it’s their new crap not working but there’s no one around that has an 2 and I can’t even find them selling still not that I want to dump even more money into their hands after this.
 

devianteng

Well-Known Member
This is purely speculation on my part, but I'm thinking your problem is caused by the MPVI3 device. It's fairly new and I've heard other people having problems with the hardware, but not bricking ECUs (Cobalt or otherwise). I personally have a MPVI2, and used it on two separate Cobalts (a 06/SS and a 07/SS), never an issue but that was with VCM v4.x. It's been probably 18 months since I last flashed a LSJ ECU with my MPVI2 interface, though.

Literally yesterday I got my MPVI2 out, updated VCM on my tuning laptop to v5.x, and tried to connect to my Goblin (that I just did first start on this past weekend). It wouldn't connect, but have since learned that I have a data wiring issue I need to fix -- pin 2 on the OBD is tied into pin 1 and the other dark green wires; evidently this was wrong and pin 1 on the OBD should connect to pin 16 on the main harness PCM plug (blue). Need to peel tape back and find those dark green wires and undo my screw up.

Anyway, I know several Cobalt tuners (two of them kinda personally) and I know they've tuned many LSJ and LNF cars and never bricked an ECU from flashing. I'm curious to see if they've got a new MPVI3 though, and what version VCM they're running these days (going to ask).
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
This is purely speculation on my part, but I'm thinking your problem is caused by the MPVI3 device. It's fairly new and I've heard other people having problems with the hardware, but not bricking ECUs (Cobalt or otherwise). I personally have a MPVI2, and used it on two separate Cobalts (a 06/SS and a 07/SS), never an issue but that was with VCM v4.x. It's been probably 18 months since I last flashed a LSJ ECU with my MPVI2 interface, though.

Literally yesterday I got my MPVI2 out, updated VCM on my tuning laptop to v5.x, and tried to connect to my Goblin (that I just did first start on this past weekend). It wouldn't connect, but have since learned that I have a data wiring issue I need to fix -- pin 2 on the OBD is tied into pin 1 and the other dark green wires; evidently this was wrong and pin 1 on the OBD should connect to pin 16 on the main harness PCM plug (blue). Need to peel tape back and find those dark green wires and undo my screw up.

Anyway, I know several Cobalt tuners (two of them kinda personally) and I know they've tuned many LSJ and LNF cars and never bricked an ECU from flashing. I'm curious to see if they've got a new MPVI3 though, and what version VCM they're running these days (going to ask).
Thanks appreciate it. This forum has been more helpful with this issue than Hp tuners support and their forum. Appreciate it all.
 

Gtstorey

Goblin Guru
I'm curious to see if they've got a new MPVI3 though, and what version VCM they're running these days (going to ask).
Most of the experienced tuners don't update their devices until the old one dies unless maybe they are dealing with the newest vehicles that require it. Even then they will often keep older versions running at the same time since the EPA has forced them to take away features through the years.
 

devianteng

Well-Known Member
@GoblinGuyZ I just chat with one of my guys and the way he talks he can recover your ECUs. What I understand is there is a shadow OS on the ECU, like a backup, and as long as that isn't corrupted/wiped then recovery should be possible using PCM Hammer. He can either give you the info, you buy the interface and try it yourself or you could mail your ECU(s) to him and send him your latest HPT file and he can try recover. No idea what he'd charge, but he's reasonable. Let me know if you're interested and I can put you in touch with him.
 

devianteng

Well-Known Member
Most of the experienced tuners don't update their devices until the old one dies unless maybe they are dealing with the newest vehicles that require it. Even then they will often keep older versions running at the same time since the EPA has forced them to take away features through the years.
Yup, exactly. I know they're not updating hardware interfaces just because. My main contact still runs a MPVI2+ for LSJ tuning, but he knows a local guy using a MPVI3 (not sure if he's flashed any LSJs with it yet, though).
 

GoblinGuyZ

Well-Known Member
@GoblinGuyZ I just chat with one of my guys and the way he talks he can recover your ECUs. What I understand is there is a shadow OS on the ECU, like a backup, and as long as that isn't corrupted/wiped then recovery should be possible using PCM Hammer. He can either give you the info, you buy the interface and try it yourself or you could mail your ECU(s) to him and send him your latest HPT file and he can try recover. No idea what he'd charge, but he's reasonable. Let me know if you're interested and I can put you in touch with him.
Thanks would be good to find out. Hp tuners told me a tech2 device could probably put it back to stock as well. Just im in Barbados so no one here uses them mostly import stuff so I would need to ship them out either way.
 
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